Jay Rahman, 29, who owns Indian restaurant Prithvi on Bath Road, has submitted a planning application to launch a new business in the historic building, where the Kitchener – Britain’s oldest cookware shop – opened in 1972.

After Cheltenham Borough Council’s conservation officer raised concerns the plans would cause “significant disruption” to the site, Mr Rahman told Gloucestershire Live he will revise the application.

He has not yet decided which cuisine the restaurant will offer, though he revealed it may be “ethnic”.